Chapter 53 – A Special Acquaintance (1)
Lila almost stumbled as she pushed into the emperor’s private room. The room was elegant and uniquely designed, which was a given being that it was for the emperor.
She didn’t have an edge as she usually did since their relationship had not been mentioned in the original work, however, Lila couldn’t let this one mishap bring her down. The Emperor noticed her disoriented look and pointed towards a cup on a small table.
“Try that. You liked it before.”
Lila looked at the teacup laid in front of her, and it was a flower tea with petals floating at the surface. She pushed it aside.
“While I’m grateful for your favors, I do not like tea as the drink does not suit me.”
“That’s not true. I know very well how you’re fond of this tea.”
“No, I don’t like tea.” She said, trying her hardest to stay respectful.
“Have your tastes changed during your time away from home?”
“Are you sure that your words are for me? I cannot understand your meaning.”
“Hmm…”
Enrique stared at the teacup Lila had pushed away and sneered as he leaned against the armrest with a hand on his forehead.
“You’re putting up quite an effort.”
“I am only telling you the truth. I never liked tea in my life.” Lila spoke calmly, as one wrong answer may prove that they had known each other in the past.
“Truth. Can you keep saying that when a fact lies before your eyes?”
Enrique leaned forward to look from her eyes to her lips.
“What are you doing?”
“Won’t you see this?”
Enrique stroked Lila’s smooth chin with a finger, and she avoided further attempts at the discomfort. The traces of a ring hung about the finger that had just touched Lila’s face.
However, Lila knew that it was a contaminated ring on second sight, which was called a hole. Its color was completely different from the glowering dark blue light she had seen from Lacias. The mousy hole that looked like it was fading away started vibrating in the air like it did not know where to turn.
It suddenly stopped moving and flew towards Lila’s fingertips. It lay there and did not let go. Lila raised her head to stare at Enrique.
He knows that I can use rings already.
All ring users would know that holes followed rings, and Enrique had intentionally shown his hole to let her know that he knew she was a ring user. That means Madame Marshmell had been a user, and Enrique had tried to use her to purify his contamination.
Lila felt the puzzle pieces come together as she realized that Enrique had been able to use powerful rings by using Madame Marshmell. Enrique had not been in an advantageous position for the throne, but he had become the emperor by gaining support with his powerful rings. She never would have known that the answer to the source of his power was herself. As holes regained their power by leeching off of rings.
Maybe Madame Marshmell had woken up in her power in the same way as Lugar.
There were a few chosen people who needn’t train to awaken their rings. Mrs. Marshmell might have been one of these select few people. She may have found the ring one day and the emperor might have found out as well.
Normally shadows could summon infinite rings as they were fake and much weaker than one real ring. However, once they are supplied with a normal ring, they can easily sap away its power and purify themselves to become a real ring. It was a very common act among shadows.
Enrique’s hole lost its murky gray color and was slowly gaining the vivid golden color that was Lila’s ring. Lila was strangely disgusted by the process, even though the rings weren’t entirely living.
The emperor’s smile slowly changed to an evil grin. “Your ring seems to remember me, Lila.”
Enrique mumbled in certainty, as he was ecstatic about finally receiving a powerful ring after such a long time. It was evident that Madame Marshmell and Enrique had known each other, but he was deeply mistaken if he thought Lila was going to admit it. She spoke with a kind smile.
“Lacias had helped me with awakening this ring a few days back, and I cannot control it yet without a pistol.”
“Lacias…? Did the Duke allow you to call him that?”
“He begged me to.”
Enrique’s face turned dark at Lila’s murmur, like someone who had witnessed his pet wagging its tail to another owner.
“Unlike your estimation, I am certain that I had used my ring for the first time a few days ago.”
Enrique stayed still for a moment at Lila’s answer before asking her again. “Does a cat become rough after running away from home?”
He was talking about cats again. Lila was tired, but she still retained a pleasant expression. “I do not know anything about the cat your majesty is speaking about, but you must have the wrong person.”
“Is that so?”
“I was born human and had never become a cat,” she said, looking him directly in the eye.